AKRISONERS Semi Annual Year in Review 2017 v2

[AKRISONER]

Hey Guys,

 

Lets make up for my friends with criminals thread!  

As the days are cold, and the soft water season has officially ended, I find myself on the eve of  my first trip out on the ice...what better time than to sum up the remainder of my 2017 softwater season. So once again without further adieu i present AKRISONERS (eh-kree-one-ers) semi annual year in review.

When we last left off bass season had just opened and I had finished first in my first tourney (although small we took great pride in beating a bunch of locals on their own lake) I was spending a lot of time up on G bay chasing smallies this summer the jerkbait bite was insane

 

TO SEE A BIGGER VERSION CLICK THE PHOTO (hosting site resizes it  )

I got to spend some time with the kids chasing panfish on ultralights off of the dock, when my 4 year old nephew hooks a fiesty lil bronzeback that put on an arial show that scared the living bejeebus outta Owen

During this particular smallie trip I caught 20 fish in a couple of hours on the same bait...during the trip I was talking with my brothers friend who i brought out with me about how neither of us had ever put a hook past the barb into our skin...i said that i knew that it was definitely inevitable, it was just a matter of time. We discussed how your only option is to probably push the hoook through and cut it...noted for another time.

The largemouth fishing has rebounded huge, and that puts a big smile on my face, that very same evening i headed out for some pre-sunset largies when i hooked into this chunky girl on the last cast of the night, the bugs were coming in hot and I was not even happy that i had to deal with unhooking the trebles from this largie while 1000000 mosquitos swarmed my face

Wouldnt you know it the trebles were hooked right through the net and the fish making a total mess...time to get a new net the coating is shot on this frabil

So there I am ticked off with the hooks a total mess in the net and the bugs swarming me when of course wouldnt you know it...I lodge one of the trebles past the barb right into my knuckle...i grab my knipex cut the hook and proceed to push the hook through my finger bleeding profusely inviting even more mosquitoes to the blood bath

a little self surgery yanking the hook out with a pair of plyers and some rubbing alchohol I was good to go...but oh the irony, when i got back to the cottage i ran up in excitement to tell my brothers buddy the story, and everyone laughed at my misfortune lol.

Man did this summer provide some great sunsets though

this one isnt just lense flare, the sky actually had a flare in it just like the picture, it doesnt even do it justice

The next tournament got lined up, the theona invitiational on the tri lakes, the same game plan as last time, we ran pigeon chasings smallies and pulled out the big fish for the tourney...finished 4th in total weight, we couldnt get the kicker we needed but we were close...still came home with some $ so we couldnt complain

the next day we decided to mess around and fish an area we had never fished before...the jerkbait had been absolutely killing it so i continued to throw it when i felt a strange bump and a good amount of weight...but no fight...did i hook a log? nope...just a big old pickerel in the middle of clear hot summer day. This fish stands as my 2nd PB behind the big girl i got last fall.

An absolutely solid trip in, it was time to head back home to smash more summer time jerkbait smallies...you gotta love the days when you can put a 20lb+ bag in the boat throwing the same lure all day.

cooler temps mid summer had me one day thinking that I should go autochart the uncharted area that i fish walleye before the fall comes...so off i headed out, and i brought the musky trolling gear with me in the off chance that who knows...maybe id catch the families first G bay ski?

The boat is shaping up nicely as i continue to turn my 14 foot basic tinner into a fishing machine 

and wouldnt you know it, there was my first G bay ski

I sent Fisherpete a big text saying PETE I CANT BELIEVE IT!!!! I DID IT! ...honestly though thanks Pete for filling me with your infinite musky wisdom, these fish wouldnt happen without your advice, helpfulness and generosity. Now i just need a size upgrade.

The dog days of summer were on but labour day had arrived, i spent the weekend with the old man breaking in the new boat and teaching him how to fish smallies using his new trolling motor...this sunday morning will go down as legendary...

2 hours, 10 smallies not a single one under 3.5lbs

Even the perch were feeling cheeky 

But the old man had to show me one thing this epic morning...how to catch the actual "big fish"

one for the books indeed.

September came, and my buddy jake an avid river guy started talking...he was beyond stoked that I was pumped to try some local GTA river fishing...so out came the fly rods...and many a weeknight after work were spent until dark chasing fish

My first salmon didnt fight much, he lacklusterly took a nip at my fly as it basically hit him in the face proceeded to make one lazy run and give up...he was smoked

But many more evenings were spent watching salmon run upstream, and me getting skunked...my fly casting specifically my double haul on the other hand, holy crap its really starting to come around...i guess all of that practice is making perfect

Having bought a condo back in toronto closer to work during the spring, my after work river fishing season was coming to a close...one last night out on the water was what we called for...I had nearly given up on ever getting a salmon to bite on the fly...that night i decided to simply bring the 5wt and nymph roe patterns for the resident juvenile bows. It was getting dark, when out of the corner of my eye i see something....i do a double take...holy crepe, thats a salmon...scared to move and spook it I akwardly roll cast upstream infront of it and sure enough just as the roe nymph reaches beside me, the salmon charges and chomps down on it...i say "jake, that friggin salmon just ate my fly!" and i set the hook hard...the fight is on and im on a 5wt....this should be interesting...the fish sends me on a goose chase running down river with jake following...im about to get spooled and i manage to turn the fish again....we land err, perhaps one of the best fish fights of my entire life (might still be behind a tarpon)

These zombies are nasty!

The nights got colder and longer...we had a couple of weeks before the pickerel really started to run, I decided to get out and get that hot dropshot smallie bite...just another absolutely ridiculous day smashing smallies on the drop shot...so much fun

and another good day during that strange fall warm spell

The sun told us...fall was here and it was time to get on the eyes...the strong class of fish we are catching has grown up for sure, plenty of solid eaters this year...and even a couple of monsters...unfortunately i didnt do so well on size this fall but the numbers were pretty darn good...my best day I caught 27 in a morning...couldnt complain

dave with a cheeky first...a musky off our dock...hopefully this one grows up and sticks around

A beauty 21" and 19" double header...i had to net both fish rod in one hand net in the other lol

then the cold snap came...this particular morning -18...ouch the boat didnt like it either as a seal failed in our steering...she was a long drive home basically not being able to turn the boat

There it was my last fish of the soft water season...i didnt complain at this chunky bro

 

The drive home on this november weekend told me that the season was done...and i was ok with that...Ice season starts tomorrow and i cant friggin wait

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2017 by AKRISONER

[BillM]

Great report man!   You ever think of putting that trolling motor off to the side?  Down the middle doesn't leave you much room

[NAW]

That's a solid report man!   

We gunna get out on the ice this year!? 

I have some time free over the holidays, we should set something up.

[LostAnotherOne]

That big georgian bay musky is out there its just a matter of time before you two cross paths.  I always say that to keep myself motivated.  Good report bud. 

[OhioFisherman]

Nice! Good to know you haven't fished PAB out yet!

[chris.brock]

 

I enjoyed that!

That's a deadly place to have a cottage. It looks like you've got the bass and the pics dialed in pretty good up there, it might be time to chase the giants skis in the fall.

[Old Ironmaker]

Fantastic report Kri. You sure slammed them this year. All species too. My first time at PAB area was a few springs ago, now you can't keep me away. The flies!!! I have never had to eat dinner or play cards with a net on, always a first for everything. At least they weren't biters.

[BillM]

I've found GBay muskie to be pretty localized (At least in the early season).   I've  had the same fish follow when bass fishing 3 years in a row within throwing distance of the same deep rock ledge.   One day maybe I'll actually see  him when I've got my musky gear with me, lol!!   If you raise fish, make sure to waypoint the spot.   The odds are good you can go back and might get stung.   

[Rod Caster]

Good stuff. Those pickeral are beauts.

 

At least  you know somebody who is able to catch real muskie haha. 

[Moosebunk]

Solid mix of fish to make anyone happy, especially your dad with that dandy pike.  Thanks for posting.

[AKRISONER]

On 12/15/2017 at 4:01 PM, BillM said:

Great report man!   You ever think of putting that trolling motor off to the side?  Down the middle doesn't leave you much room

Bill, absolutely...infact this summer i made some alterations and changed the old wood board that i had mounted my quick release mount to. My intention was to correct the positioning of the motor...that board was mounted through a steel plate at the front of the boat...I figured that when i first installed the motor that I was just not "aware" enough 2 years ago to realize that the motor should be mounted to the side.

Sure enough when i took the big board off of the front to install my new plastic one...i realized that the front steel plate that I mount everything through was so small that there is literally no other configuration that I could have except to put it on straight...so unfortunately I am stuck that way. Its not really too much hassel because when im on the tiller whoever is with me has to sit to the opposite side anyways. Of course its not ideal but you gotta make due!

On 12/15/2017 at 4:59 PM, NAW said:

That's a solid report man!   

We gunna get out on the ice this year!? 

I have some time free over the holidays, we should set something up.

Yes yes we will...My christmas is rammed, but i still owe you a trip for some eyes up at my place. The ice is shaping up good so far so we will definitely have to make a trip. Ive still got your number.

On 12/15/2017 at 6:52 PM, LostAnotherOne said:

That big georgian bay musky is out there its just a matter of time before you two cross paths.  I always say that to keep myself motivated.  Good report bud. 

absolutely....I intended to get out there this fall, but every weekend it was just too easy to go out with the old man in the alumacraft rather than try run out in my tinner solo for musky. I am sure that next year i will feel a little more motivation to give her a go!

On 12/15/2017 at 8:03 PM, OhioFisherman said:

Nice! Good to know you haven't fished PAB out yet!

What a place...i feel like the luckiest man alive that somehow I miss all of the pressure...go south and its full of vacationers, go north to the french and its full of tourists go to PAB and theres  just no one there. Thats honestly probably why there are no lodges or operators anymore, even pleasant cove has gone private. Oh well im not complaining!

On 12/15/2017 at 8:51 PM, chris.brock said:

 

I enjoyed that!

That's a deadly place to have a cottage. It looks like you've got the bass and the pics dialed in pretty good up there, it might be time to chase the giants skis in the fall.

Im lucky to have a cottage in an area that when it comes time to fish, and pick your species...you pretty much would pick where I am at every time even if you had any option within driving distance of the GTA. The only thing we dont get are specs and those other stocked back lake species. Oh and salmon, but we even used to get them 15 years ago but that has tailed off.

It just the benefit of having a very low pressure fishery. Popular place with a heck of a lot of cottagers...but most folks are just interested in being out on their island relaxing and not fishing.

On 12/16/2017 at 2:42 AM, Old Ironmaker said:

Fantastic report Kri. You sure slammed them this year. All species too. My first time at PAB area was a few springs ago, now you can't keep me away. The flies!!! I have never had to eat dinner or play cards with a net on, always a first for everything. At least they weren't biters.

I take pride in trying to be a multispecies guy. It keeps things interesting continuing to learn as many techniques as possible. It really is incredible how things change so much from one species to the next. Its a matter of dialing each of them in.

23 hours ago, Rod Caster said:

Good stuff. Those pickeral are beauts.

 

At least  you know somebody who is able to catch real muskie haha. 

hahaha if I didnt know pete, i wouldnt know a thing. I literally owe it all to him, dude is a musky guru.

21 hours ago, Moosebunk said:

Solid mix of fish to make anyone happy, especially your dad with that dandy pike.  Thanks for posting.

It was a great moment, after 60 years of him fishing he had never learned to gill grab a big fish, i got to teach him how so that I could finally take a photo of him holding up his trophy. (he was still rattled that we never had a good photo of the last 40+ incher he caught because he didnt know how to pick it up lol)

[DJGeneral]

Great report bruh!

Looks like you had a blast this season!

keep it up bro hope 2018 is even better for yah

[jimmer]

Great report! You sure did well this year.

[Reef Runner]

Awesome report!

[BillM]

7 hours ago, AKRISONER said:

Bill, absolutely...infact this summer i made some alterations and changed the old wood board that i had mounted my quick release mount to. My intention was to correct the positioning of the motor...that board was mounted through a steel plate at the front of the boat...I figured that when i first installed the motor that I was just not "aware" enough 2 years ago to realize that the motor should be mounted to the side.

Sure enough when i took the big board off of the front to install my new plastic one...i realized that the front steel plate that I mount everything through was so small that there is literally no other configuration that I could have except to put it on straight...so unfortunately I am stuck that way. Its not really too much hassel because when im on the tiller whoever is with me has to sit to the opposite side anyways. Of course its not ideal but you gotta make due!

We had the same issue with our Legend.  My oldman just made a 3in thick triangle like piece out of marine plywood and  basically extended the 'triangle' towards the back of the boat so we could mount the motor on sideways.  I'll see if I can find a pic.  

 

[can u fish]

Awesome report thanks for sharing.

[msp]

Good job. seeing those summertime pictures gets me going. Cant wait till next season

[AKRISONER]

21 hours ago, DJGeneral said:

Great report bruh!

Looks like you had a blast this season!

keep it up bro hope 2018 is even better for yah

thanks man, I think Im due for some even bigger fish next year. This year was a little off for size except for the smallies. Weve learned some more this year just like every year.

3 hours ago, msp said:

Good job. seeing those summertime pictures gets me going. Cant wait till next season

get on the ice bud!

15 hours ago, can u fish said:

Awesome report thanks for sharing.

cheers! and thanks to everyone else.

 

 

Bill please share id love to see how he did it.

Edited December 19, 2017 by AKRISONER